baird



l (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. BA1-RD.

ATTORNEYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. BAIRD.

RAILROAD PROG.

Patented Oct. 21, 1890.

(No Model.)

SES. QS

una., wmamnmn @No Model.) s sheets-sheen 3, J BAIRD RAILRUAD PROG-I No. 488,979. Patented Oct. 2l, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES BAIRD, OF CHIGNECTO MINES, CANADA.

RAILROAD-FROG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,979, dated October 21, 1890.

Application filed .Tuly 15,

.To LZZ whom. it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMEs BAIRD, of Ghignecto Mines, in the county of Cumberland, Province of Nova Scotia, and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and Improved Railroad-Frog, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in railroad-frogs; and the object of my invention is to produce a frog of simple construction over which locomotives and cars will smoothly and safely run with none of the jarring and pounding so noticeable when the ordinary frog is used.

To this end my invention consists in a bed, a movable frog-rail pivoted thereon, and connections between the frog-rail and the ordinary switch-rod, whereby the frog-rail may be moved into alignment with the track-rails at the same time the switch is operated.

This construction will be hereinafter fully described, and specicallypointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan View of the frog embodying my invention, showing the lever-connections extending through the opposite rail. Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation of the rail 4and lever mechanism opposite the frog. Fig.

3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, showing in side elevation the frog-rail and the ends of the rails with which it abuts.

.Figli is a transverse section on the line 4 4 of vthe main track. The rails A2 are the parallel rails of the main track, which are moved by .the switch-rod in the usual manner. The rails B are the parallel rails of a siding adapted to be connected with rails A2 in the usual manner, and C is the movable frog-rail, adapted to align with the rails A or with the rails B, as hereinafter described.

1890. Serial No. 358.815.

(No model.)

The frog D and the rail A opposite the frog rest upon the longitudinal timbers E, which are supported on the railroad-ties F. The bed-plate H of the frog D is shouldered into one of the timbers E, and the converging ends of the rails A and B next the frog rest upon the ends of the bed-plate, said converging rails being provided with fish-plates G and with a suitable wedge G between them The ends of the rails and the ends of the fishplates next the frog are provided with a horizontal slot g, adapted to receive the horizontal lugs c, which project from the ends of the fish-plates C', said fish-plates being xed to the movable frog-rail C. It will thus be seen that by connecting the frog-rail and the abutting rails in this manner they will form practically a continuous rail.

The frog-rail C is clamped to the pivot I, which extends centrally through Ythe bedplate H and turns freely therein. The bedplate H is cut away at the portions H near each end to alford means for attaching the members J of the lever J thereto. The plate is also provided near each corner with suitable stops h, adapt-ed to fit the iange of the rail C and limit its movement. The lever J extends transversely through a slot close to the bottom of rail A, and is provided with diverging members J which are clamped to the flange of the rail C near the opposite ends thereof, the ends of the lever extending through the recesses H of the bed-plate. The members J of the lever are also attached to the rail and bed-plate by bolts j as an additional precaution against their becoming loose. The bolts j extend downward through the members J and through the bed-plate H into a slot e in the timber E, and are provided with washers and with a key to hold them in position. The bed-plate H has curved slots 71,', through which the bolts pass and which permit the necessary movement of the bolts when the rail C is moved. The members J are spliced at the points j', although they may be formed in a single piece, if desired. The lever J extends through a slot a of the timber E beneath the rail A', said slot being long enough to permit the necessary movement of the lever. At each end of the slot a are the vertical strips K, which are iirmly bolted to the rail A', and extending above IOO and below the slot are the strips 7c and 7o', respectively, which are bolted at the ends to 'the strips K. The strip 7c is curved outwardly to correspond with the are of the circle formed by the swinging of the end of the lever J, and said st-rip is provided near each end with a notch k2, adapted to receive the end of the lever J.

The strip 7,: is provided with a laterally-extending arm Z, to the outer end of which is pivoted a dog l', adapted to engage the bar N, and the strip k is provided with a laterally-extending lug m, which aligns with the dog Z and upon which the bar N slides. The bar N is slotted near one end to receive the end of the lever J, the said slot being long enough to permit a'slight movement of the bar N before itmoves the lever J. The bar N extends parallel with the railA and is connected with the switch-rod, as described below. It has upon its upper edge notches n to receive the point of the dog Z,the said notches being about the saine distance apart as are the notches k2 in the strip 7a', so that when the lever J is engaged by one of the side notches k2 the dog l will rest normally in one ot' the notches n. The bar N is also provided With a raised portion n upon its loweredgebetween the notches n, so that When the lever is moved longitudinally the projection n will ride upon the lug m and raise thelever J from one of the notches k2. Then the lever J is engaged With one of the notches k2 and the dog Z rests in one of the notches n, the bar N may be moved a little farther by means of its loose connection with the lever J, so as to bring the point of the dog Z above a higher portion of the bar N, thereby locking the lever J, and consequently the frog-rail C, in position. rlhe bar N is guided by the keepers O, through which it extends, and the end of the bar opposite that connected with the lever J is pivoted to one member of the elbow-lever P, which is pivoted upon a suitable support, and the other member of which is pivoted to the switchrod p, which is connected with the rails A2. The elbow-lever P is also connected with the ordinary switch-lever p', so that when the switch is operated to move the rails A2 the lever I Will be tilted, thereby moving the bar N, the lever J, and the frog-rail C, thus bringing the frog-rail into alignment With the rails A or B, as desired. It will be seen that the frog-rail is held by the stops 7i from moving in one direction, and that it is held by the lever J and the strip 7s from moving in the opposite direction. It will be noticed, too, that the frog-rail is not so high as the abutting rails; but as the center of the bed-plate His a little higher than its ends the top of the frog-rail is on the same plane as the other rails. By having` the rails A and B bolted to the bed-plate I-l and by having the rail C provided With the lug c, extending into the slot in the ends of the railsA and B, the road-bed is made very smooth. l

From the foregoing description it Will be seen that the frog-rail C must move in unison with the rails A2 as operated by the switch, so that When the rails A2 are made to align with the rails A and A the frog-rail will align with the rails A, and when the rails A2 are made to align with the siding rails B the frog-rail will also align ivith the rails of the siding.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a railroad-frog, the combination, with a bed supporting upon opposite ends the converging rails of the railroad-track and a rail pivoted uponthe bed, of a pronged lever attached to opposite ends of the rail and extending beneath the opposite rail, a locking device directly engaging the lever, and abar connecting said pronged lever with the switchrod, substantially as described.

2. In a railroad-frog, the combination, with a bed supporting on opposite ends the converging rails of the track, said rails being horizontally slotted, as shown, and a rail pivoted on the bed and provided at the ends with lugs extending into the slots of the track-rails, of a pronged lever attached to opposite ends of the movable rail and extending through a slot in the opposite rail and a lever mechanism connecting the end of the pronged lever with the switch-rod, substantially as described.

3. In a railroad-frog, the combination, with a bed and a rail pivoted on the bed, ot apronged lever attached to opposite ends of the pivoted rail and extending through a slot in the opposite rail, a horizontal strip extending below the slot and having notches to receive the end of the pronged lever, abar connectingthe end of the pronged lever with the switch-rod, so that it Will be operated in unison therewith, and adogpivoted above said lever and adapted to hold the pronged leverin engagement with the notched strip, substantially as described.

4:. In a railroad-frog, the combination,witl1 a bed and a rail pivoted on thebed, of a pronged lever attached to opposite ends of the pivoted rail and extending through a slot in the opposite rail, a curved horizontal strip extending beneath the slot and provided with notches and with a laterally-extendin g lug, a strip extending horizontally above the slot and provided With a laterally-extending arm having a dog pivoted thereon, a sliding bar loosely connected with the end of the pronged lever, said bar having on its under side a projection to engage the lug of the curved strip and upon its upper side notches to engage the dog, and an elbow-lever pivoted upon a support and having one member connected with the sliding bar and the other with a switch-rod, substantially as described.

5. A railroad-frog comprising a bed supporting at opposite ends the converging rails of the track, said rails being horizontally slotted at the ends, a rail pivoted upon the bed and provided at the ends with horizontal lugs to engage the slots in the trackrails,stops fixed TOO IIO

to the bed to limit the movement of the pivoted rail and support the saine, a pronged lever fixed to opposite ends of the pivoted rail and extending through it horizontal slot in the opposite rail, a curved strip extending horizontnlly beneath the slot, said strip having notches therein to engage the pronged lever and a laterally-extending lug@ strip extend ing horizontally above I[he slot and provided With a laterally-extending arm having a dog pivoted thereon, a sliding bar loosely conneoted with the pronged lever and extending between the lug of the Curved strip and the dog7 said bar having upon its under side aJ proj eotion to engage the lug and upon its upper side notches to engage the dog, and an e1- boW-lever having one member pivoted to the sliding bnr and the other connected with a switch, all substantially as described.

JAMES BAIRD.

Witnesses: l

J. A. DAVIS, W. INGLIs MOFFAT. 

